


Excuse Me?

by guardianofdragonlore



Category: Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Genre: Also a slight amount of projection whatever lol, Confession, M/M, Pining, Self indulgence is my game, Wrote this in half an hour dudes
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-05
Updated: 2017-11-05
Packaged: 2019-01-29 17:36:20
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 706
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12635892
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/guardianofdragonlore/pseuds/guardianofdragonlore
Summary: Garak and Odo need to have a conversation before things get out of hand.





	Excuse Me?

**Author's Note:**

> Never acknowledge timelines is my motto.

_Love makes a person do strange things_ , Garak thought as he scrolled through his design PADD.

Once he never would have allowed himself to be compromised. Especially for another person. Many of his colleagues fell out of favor because they followed his heart instead of their common sense.

It was ironic then, that only when he was the most disgraced a Cardassian could possibly be, that he..... 

Garak huffed. He didn't have time for this.

Yesterday an Andorian had ordered a Betazed style nightgown. There was a complicated pattern that she requested be embroidered on the bodice, one that Garak needed to study before attempting it. He shouldn't let his mind wander, the Andorian seemed quite desperate when placing the order.

Love wasn't going to discern the different shades of black he would need for the bodice.

It  _was_ quite tempting, though, to let himself dream. A single moment of self indulgence wouldn't harm anyone.

"Get a hold of yourself," Garak hissed.

"Excuse me?"

Garak forced himself not to flinch before turning around.

Odo stood in the doorway to his workroom, arms straight at his side, face neutral.

He must have been quite stealthy to not set off the three motion sensors in the main shop.

"Ah! Well, hello Odo! I am quite sorry for not greeting you. Cardassian hearing isn't as wonderful as many seem to believe." Garak smiled easily. Now they would be able to have a decent conversation, maybe about biology and evolution. 

Garak could even slip in some hints about how the lack of hearing came from a strange wedding practice-

_Stop that right now Garak!_

"Indeed," Odo said. "It allows for a certain amount of obliviousness."

He crossed his arms, leaning back ever so slightly.

Garaks easy smile froze on his face.

"What?" he breathed out. Of all people to mention  _obliviousness,_ Odo was the last one with the right to do so.

"Even with your obvious intelligence, you often refuse to see what is right in front of you," Odo drawled.

Garak stared. There was something different about Odo. His back was straight as ever, but his shoulders were slightly slumped. It was almost like he was ...about to confess something. Garak knew enough about confessions to know he was right.

Mentally shaking his head, Garak knew he needed to redirect the conversation.

"Seeing, my dear, is rarely believing."

That should be enough to annoy Odo into a different line of thought.

"First of all," Odo began, not rising to the bait, "you refuse to acknowledge that you are an important part of the station community. You regularly have positive interactions with the children and their parents. Many of whom, strangely enough, trust you."

Garak opened his mouth to argue. Just last week a Bajoran boy threw an egg at him when he got too close at the Replimat. Odo cut him off before a sound could pass his lips by raising a hand. 

As Odo spoke, his voice rose in volume.

"Second, you do not accept the fact that you have people on the station who care for you. Bashir, Dax, Quark, they even like you! Worf respects you!" 

"Worf?! Odo, I think-"

"I am  _not mistaken_ Garak," Odo snapped. He loomed in the doorway, puffing up with emotion. "They want the best for you, even when you act like a fool!"

Garak sat back, letting his smile fall.

"Are you here simply to point out my faults Constable?"

"You do that enough to yourself," Odo said. 

... That wasn't wrong, but he wouldn't ever admit that.

"Then why do you feel the need to take the role?"

Odo exploded.

"I don't!" he shouted. "I want you to listen to me! You refuse to accept the fact you are important Garak! You refuse to ever think you could be loved!"

Silence.

Garak knew he should respond. He couldn't. He was shocked to say the least.

"Excuse me?" Garak finally choked out.

Odo looked away, his shoulders most certainly curling inward.

"You are loved. You are loved Garak, and I don't know what to do about it," Odo whispered. "I love you and I don't know what to do about it."

The thing was, Garak didn't know what to do either.


End file.
